


For Charlie

by Kitana67



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 22:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11045898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitana67/pseuds/Kitana67
Summary: The Winchesters are introduced to Lexi Wilson, hunter and friend to Charlie Bradbury, and she has learned of a few Styne family members who are trying to take up residence again in Louisiana.





	1. Chapter 1

The bunker was quiet with the only noise being the occasional flip of a page as Sam perused an old worn-out book trying to find more information on Qareens. He had happened across the book by accident, and after their latest encounter, thought it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on any and all knowledge the Men of Letters had acquired on that specific type of monster over the years.  
The younger Winchester glanced up as he heard his older brother make his way into the room, two beers in one hand, Penthouse magazine in the other.  
“Dude really!” Sam exclaimed, looking at the reading material in his brother’s hand, as Dean tossed him a beer.  
“What Sammy?” the green-eyed man took a seat across from Sam, grinning like a teenager, “I’m only reading the articles.”  
“Sure,” he replied sarcastically, twisting the top off his bottle, “that’s why everyone looks at Penthouse and Playboy, the articles.”  
“Playboy my ass,” Dean stated, taking a swig from his beer, “there’s more skin in a Victoria’s Secret catalog than a Playboy magazine nowadays.”  
“You would know,” the younger brother retorted.  
Dean just brushed off the comment, shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head with a smirk, then a familiar ding sounded from Sam’s open laptop on the table between them, notifying him that he had a new email.  
Sam reached across and clicked open the email to see who had sent him something and the name listed in the “From” box sent an icy shiver down his spine. Dean could read the expression on his brother’s face like a book.  
“What is it?” he questioned. “Who’s it from?”  
Sam glanced up to Dean, then back down to the screen once more just to clarify he wasn’t seeing things. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as he looked back up at Dean, “Charlie. The email is from Charlie.”  
“That’s not possible,” Dean said, as he placed his beer on the table, “What’s it say?”  
“I haven’t opened it yet,” the younger brother responded, still staring at the screen.  
“Well hell,” Dean exclaimed, “open the damned thing Sam!”  
Sam clicked again, and Dean waited patiently as he watched his brother’s eyes scan the screen as he read the email. Once he had finished, he spun the laptop around for Dean to read. 

Sam or Dean,  
The first thing Charlie would want me to say is, “What’s up bitches!” The second thing she would want me to say is, don’t blame yourselves that she is gone. Let’s back up and say the first thing she would want me to say is, I’m not Charlie, my name is Lexi, so no, this isn’t some beyond the grave email from Charlie herself. I’m in town, and yes, I know where your secret “Boys Only” club is; Charlie told me. She also told me that if there was ever anything I needed help with when it came to monsters, you boys were the ones to contact. I’m a hunter too, that’s how Charlie and I met, and I guess I have you two to thank for that. She was my best friend and I loved her. So, I’m hoping to hear back from you when I say I have some more information on a family that we share a common hatred for: The Stynes  
#555-647-2227

Dean looked over the top of the computer screen to Sam who had already dug his cellphone out of his pocket and gave him his nod of approval. The older brother swiveled the laptop back around to face his younger brother and Sam punched the number into his phone and held it up to his ear.  
“Hi, Lexi?” he questioned the girl on the other end, “yea, this is Sam Winchester. When can you meet?”

 

The two brothers stood outside leaning against the trunk of the Impala watching as a black Dodge Challenger pulled to a stop a couple feet away from them. Dean cocked an eyebrow at Sam and both stood up a little straighter as the driver door opened up. The girl who climbed from the driver’s seat wasn’t much taller than 5’4, she wore faded, ripped jeans over boots, a plain peach colored t-shirt layered under a turquoise plaid button up, which she had left unbuttoned. She had short dark hair that framed her face and tan skin.  
“She’s definitely Charlie’s type,” Dean smirked quietly to his brother.  
“And yours,” his brother replied, “no wonder Charlie never mentioned her.”  
Dean shrugged his shoulders with another sly smirk to his brother as the girl moved closer.  
“Sam,” Lexi acknowledged the taller of the two men first, offering her hand to shake.  
Sam took her hand and smiled, “Nice to meet you.”  
“Likewise,” she responded, then offered the same hand to the oldest Winchester, “and you must be the infamous Dean.”  
The man shook her hand with a smirk, “That’s me.”  
“Charlie told me lots about you two,” the dark-haired girl stated with a smile.  
“How did you two meet?” Sam questioned.  
“I ran into her in a bar outside of Lincoln, she was hunting the same ghost I was,” Lexi began, “I could tell she was new to the life, so I offered to team up with her on it. She called me on a couple different cases she worked and I would call her on mine. But that was before her trip to OZ, she contacted me once she got back and we stayed in touch on everything up until…well, you know, you were there I assume.”  
Both brothers avoided eye contact with her for a moment.  
“I’m sorry,” Sam began, “I would have contacted you.”  
“Why wouldn’t Charlie tell us she had a girlfriend?” Dean interrupted, changing the subject, not wanting to talk about her death anymore, it still hurt too much.  
“Girlfriend?!” the dark-haired girl exclaimed, “What makes you think I was Charlie’s girlfriend?”  
Dean shared a confused look with his brother, “So, you and Charlie weren’t…?”  
“No,” she cut him off quickly, “She was my best friend, which is hard to find in this line of work.”  
Dean nodded his head silently in understanding as Sam spoke, “Sorry, we just...she never mentioned you is all.”  
“She had her reasons,” Lexi said quietly as she crossed her arms, “So, are you going to invite me in, or is this some kind of He-Man Woman-Haters Club?”  
Sam laughed a little and waved his arm toward the bunker door and began, “Come on…”  
“Women are always welcome,” Dean interrupted his brother with a smirk.  
Lexi walked past Dean and rolled her eyes at the taller man in front of her as she made her way to the front of the bunker. Sam shook his head in annoyance at his brother before he turned to follow the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Lexi sat there looking around the interior of the library, “This place is ridiculous.”  
Sam approached the table and handed her one of the three beers he had brought from the kitchen, “Yea, it’s a lot to take in.”  
The longer haired hunter pulled a chair up to the end of the table and took a seat, Lexi sat across the table from Dean.   
The dark-haired girl twisted the top off her bottle and took a long drink, then placed it on the table in front of her as Sam began, “So, how long have you been hunting?”  
“On and off since I was eighteenish,” she replied, then smirked, “not as long as the two of you though.”  
Sam nodded his head and continued, “And you met Charlie on a hunt?”  
Lexi smiled at the memory, “Yea, I spotted her right off, could tell she was newbie, offered to work the case with her. She was something else.”  
A smile had crossed the older brother’s face as he remembered his friend.   
“You said in your email you have more information on the Stynes,” Sam said to change the subject, the thought of Charlie still hurt him more than he wanted to let on.  
“From what I’m understanding, they’re trying to take up residence again in Shreveport,” she responded. “Stupid, I know, but I assume they think that since you’ve unleashed the Darkness now, you have bigger things to worry about.”  
She could tell by the look on their faces, they didn’t expect she would know about the darkness, “I hear things, hunters talk, I know what’s out there. It seems you two boys are always on the verge of either ending the world or saving it.”  
“Little do those son of a bitches know,” she rolled the beer bottle lid around in her hand, “I don’t have bigger things to worry about, and I fully intend on taking a road trip to Shreveport and putting the bastards down. I know you two have a lot going on right now, but…”  
“We’re in,” Dean stated, “on one condition.”  
Lexi looked over to him expectantly, waiting to hear his stipulation.  
“We do this our way,” the older brother said, “I’m not going down there, guns blazing, and letting you get caught in the cross-fire. I have enough blood on my hands.”  
“Deal,” she replied, “but I can take care of myself Winchester. I always have.”  
Lexi couldn’t help but remember one of the conversations she and Charlie had about the Winchesters.  
“When are you going to take me to this Bat Cave?” Lexi questioned, she was laid on her stomach on the motel bed, as she flipped through a Cosmopolitan magazine.  
“Never,” the short haired redhead responded from the small table beside the window.  
“What?! Why not,” Lexi whined, and she wasn’t one to whine, but she loved to pester her friend.   
“Right now, is not a good time,” she responded, “Maybe once we get this Mark off Dean.”  
Charlie started to shake her head, “Even then I don’t think it’s a good idea.”  
Lexi looked up from her magazine, “What’s not a good idea about it? I’m pretty awesome.”  
“Yes, you are,” Charlie looked at her friend and smiled innocently, “but, Lex, you’re also hot and what happens when your best friend sleeps with your brother?”  
The dark-haired girl raised her eyebrows and waited on her friend’s response.  
“Nothing good, I’m sure there’s a Lifetime movie about it somewhere,” Charlie stated.  
Lexi flipped another page of the magazine, “Fine, they’re probably not that attractive anyway.”  
She heard Charlie start to type away on the laptop, then looked over casually as Charlie turned the laptop screen in Lexi’s direction; a picture of two men was pulled up on the screen.   
“That’s THE Winchesters?” Lexi questioned, as she moved from the bed to get a closer look at the screen.   
Charlie nodded her head and a devilish grin crossed her friend’s face as she said, “Lexi likey.”   
“See, nothing good,” Charlie said as she turned the laptop back to face her.  
“You’re wrong,” the dark-haired girl responded, as she turned the laptop again to look at the picture, “That’s a WHOLE lot of good.”   
Just then Charlie’s phone vibrated and it was Sam’s name on the caller ID, Lexi nudged her playfully and winked, “Tell him I said “Hey”.”  
“Shut up slut,” Charlie responded.  
“Skank.” Lexi retorted as she made kissy lips at Charlie as she answered the phone.  
“Hey Sam.”


	3. Chapter 3

The three hunters decided it best to leave out for Shreveport the next morning, so Sam had shown Lexi to one of the spare bedrooms and gave her a quick tour of the bunker while Dean made a pizza run.   
Lexi showered and threw on some sweat pants and an old X-Men t-shirt before retreating to her room. She reached into her backpack from the floor and pulled out her journal before she climbed onto the bed and crossed her legs up under her. She opened the journal and slowly flipped through some of the pages, and stopped when she came across a picture which displayed Charlie, her long red hair pulled back into a ponytail, and Lexi cheek to cheek. Both girls wore huge smiles on their faces and Lexi smiled at the memory.   
A gentle knock on her open bedroom door brought Lexi back to the present, and she looked up to see Dean. He stood there holding a small duffel bag in one hand, a beer was tucked into the bend of his elbow, and plate with two slices of pizza on it was in his other hand.  
“Hey,” he began, “figured you might be hungry.”  
“Thanks,” she said, as the older brother made his way into her room and laid the duffel bag on the end of the bed, then sat down on the bed in front of her. He placed the plate on the nightstand, along with the beer bottle.  
Dean noticed the picture she held in her hand and leaned his head closer to get a better look. Lexi reached out and handed him the photo with a smile, “That was a month before she left for Oz.”  
The green-eyed man smiled at the photo in his hand, then handed it back as Lexi nodded toward the end of the bed, “So what’s in the bag?”  
“Oh yea,” he turned and grabbed the bag, then passed it over to the girl, “this is for you. It’s a few of Charlie’s things she left here.”  
Lexi unzipped the bag and pulled out a sweatshirt with the Hogwarts crest across the front of it and smiled as she remembered it was one of Charlie’s favorite sweatshirts. She laid it in her lap and looked inside to see a Princess Leia POP vinyl toy, a couple t-shirts, and some amber scented lotion. It was Lexi’s favorite scent, she was the one who had introduced the red-head to it. The scent from the contents of the back took Lexi back and she closed her eyes as she inhaled. It felt like Charlie was in the room with her.  
It wasn’t until the first tear trickled down her cheek that Lexi realized her eyes were brimming with tears, she quickly shoved everything back in the duffle and moved it aside with her journal and hastily wiped her eyes.  
“Thanks,” she began, as she took one last swipe at her right eye, but it was pointless. As tough as she wanted to be, there was no stopping the onslaught of silent tears, so she stood up and turned away from the man in front of her, “I’m sorry, I just really miss her.”  
“Hey,” Dean stood up, as she turned back to look at him. The older brother moved closer, wrapped her into a hug, and felt Lexi’s body tense up at his touch. He knew how hard it was to let his guard down around anyone, so he just pulled her tighter, rested his chin on top of her head, and said gently, “I know, I miss her too.”  
He felt Lexi relax and heard the muffled sob she let out. It was then Dean felt his first tear escape, so he closed his eyes tight to keep anymore from falling.

SHREVEPORT, LA

Sam walked into the motel room with a drink carrier containing coffee for them in his hand. He moved over to Lexi and handed her one of the cups.  
“Thanks,” she smiled warmly to the taller man as he made his way over to hand his brother the other cup.  
She was seated at the small table by the window combing her computer for any more information on the six Styne family members she had tracked to Shreveport. She glanced at the notepad beside her keyboard which had their names scribbled on it in her handwriting.   
Louisa  
Thomas  
Charles  
Ralph  
Frederick  
Leonard  
She knew Leonard was the youngest of the group, he was a college student with a very active Facebook page. From his page, she had learned that he was very popular, over three hundred friends on his friend list, and every status or picture he put up had at least seventy-five to over a hundred likes. She couldn’t keep up with all the comments he had from girls of all types, from their profile pictures some looked as innocent as the girl next door, while others looked like they would be strapping on their stilettos for a night on the pole with dollar bills raining down on them.   
She didn’t know quite as much on the other members because none of them had any type of social media account. She did know that they had only been in Shreveport a little over three months, and had settled into an old Antebellum style home on the outskirts of town.   
“Well, have you found anything new?” Sam questioned from his bed.  
He was sitting with his back up against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him with his laptop in his lap. He was doing research also, but so far all he’d come up with was the same information Lexi had already acquired.   
“Looks like Leonard is having some sort of big party tomorrow night,” she replied, “least that’s the only thing anyone has been talking about on his page this week.”  
“What, like a kegger?” Dean was sitting in the floor in front of the second bed sharpening his knife.   
“Like a masquerade ball,” she stated, “kid must think he’s Christian Grey. It’s being thrown at their house, would be a good way to stake out the place. Get some insider information, make sure there are only the six family members we’re dealing with.”  
“Everyone would be wearing masks,” Sam agreed with her, “So, even if any of the family members knew our faces, the masks would keep us from being recognized.”  
“Well,” Dean questioned the two, “how do we an invite?”  
***  
Sam and Dean sat in the front of the Impala, both watching the patio area of a little Mexican restaurant. Lexi had found out that Leonard frequently this place and was planning on meeting a few friends there for drinks tonight.   
“There he is,” Sam pointed out to his brother.   
Leonard Styne and three of his guy friends all made their way out onto the patio and took their place at a table. A waiter took their drink orders then disappeared back into the bar. A few tables away sat Lexi, and she had her nose buried in a book, taking notes as if she were writing an essay. After a few minutes, she gathered her belongings and tossed them in her backpack, then got up and started to make her way back inside the restaurant. She was dressed in skin tight jeans with a tight fitting white shirt, and she had undone the right amount of buttons to show off too much cleavage. Lexi conveniently “accidentally” bumped into the waiter who had was carrying a tray with a pitcher full of beer and frozen mugs for Leonard’s table. One of Styne’s friends, a guy with dirty blonde hair, jumped up to help her gather the few things she’d dropped. It was obvious from the car he was more interested in her chest rather than being a good Samaritan.   
“Hook, line and sinker,” Dean stated as they watched the blonde guy invite Lexi to have a seat at their table.   
After about an hour of watching Lexi drink beer with Styne and his friends, the boys watched as she said her goodbyes.  
Lexi had her backpack slung across one shoulder as she approached the Impala. She was buttoning back up her shirt as she got closer, and Sam laughed at the huge smile on her face. Lexi tossed a handful of invites through the passenger side window into the younger brother’s lap.   
“Guess who got invited to the dance?” she said in a sing song voice as she climbed into the back seat.  
“You and the girls,” Dean replied sarcastically.  
“Yes sir, and I got extra invites for any hot friends I have that might want to attend,” she replied, then smirked at him in the rearview mirror.  
As the Impala started to pull away from the curb, Lexi leaned forward and crossed her arms over the backrest in front of her, “You know what this means?”  
She waited for either one of them to answer, then smiled brightly, “Shopping. Pretty sure there is nothing black tie worthy in any of our duffel bags boys.  
***  
Sam stood in the motel room adjusting his cufflinks, while Dean fiddled with his tie and grumbled, “I hate this.”  
Both of them were dressed in solid black tuxedos, and neither of them looked very comfortable; it just wasn’t the same as their usual fake FBI suit and tie.  
The bathroom door opened and Lexi stood in the doorway for a moment. She wore a cream colored two-piece dress, the top was beaded and glittery, sleeveless with a crewneck fit, and the bottom was a long tulle looking material that she had decided had the right amount of “pouf” to it.   
“Check it out,” said enthusiastically like a teenager, then twirled around in a circle, “This skirt is amazeballs, it twirls.”  
“Awesome,” the green-eyed hunter said sarcastically as he pulled at his sleeves, “Least one of us is happy.”  
“Don’t be a Grumpy Gus,” she said as she walked over to grab her black leather jacket from the back of the chair closest to the door.  
“You two look very handsome,” she smiled warmly as she slipped her jacket on, then swept her hand toward the door, “Now, shall we?”  
Sam made his way to the door and held it open for Lexi and questioned, “Got the invitations?”  
“Yep, and our masks are in the car too,” she replied as she made her way out the door.  
***  
Dean pulled the Impala to a stop a couple blocks away from the Styne home.  
“Alright,” he said, “let’s do this thing.”   
Lexi handed him and Sam identical Venetian styled, burnished silver metal face masks. Her mask was of a similar style, but it was cream colored to match her dress, with lacy details and an ornate feathers and rhinestone embellishments on the right hand side.   
Once everyone had their masks on tightly, she handed each man an invitation and the three of them climbed from inside the car and made their way to the Styne home.   
They made their way to the front steps and saw a rather large bald man checking invitations as guests made their way inside the home. He vaguely glanced at the invites the three hunters flashed before him and waved them on through.   
The trio were ushered by another gentleman once inside the foyer, to head towards a rather large living area. There were easily fifty to a hundred people mingling, some were seated on couches located to the left side of the room, others waited patiently at the bar in the far back left corner, while the rest were scattered about on the makeshift dancefloor. Everyone was dressed formal and as required, everyone wore a mask.  
“Now what?” Dean questioned quietly, “No one knows who we are, but how are we supposed to know who they are.”  
“I sent their photos to your phones,” Lexi said quietly as she made her way to the bar, “We mingle. I need to find the blonde headed friend of Leonard’s; I think his name was Kyle.”  
Sam motioned to the bartender and the older man walked over and took his drink order.   
Lexi scanned the room from her place at the bar, she didn’t see anyone that remotely looked like the guy she had met yesterday. Sam handed her one of the beers the bartender had just sat in front of them.   
A dark-haired man approached them and asked Lexi to dance. She shrugged her shoulders and hopped off her stool, then followed him out onto the dancefloor. It only took a few minutes to realize that he knew nothing about the Styne family and was only here for the free alcohol. He insisted she stay and dance with him for the slow song the DJ started to play, she could tell it was Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” and it was all she could do to keep from rolling her eyes. There was no way she could keep wasting time with this guy. She looked past the guy towards the bar, Sam had disappeared, but Dean was still sitting there. Lexi waited for Dean to look her way, then she subtly reached up and pulled on her ear. She hoped the man would get the hint that she needed rescuing.   
“Dammit Sam,” Dean grumbled to himself, then took another sip of his beer before getting up from his spot at the bar. Of course, his brother would pick now to run off to the bathroom.   
Once he made his way over to the couple on the floor, he smiled brightly at Lexi, “There you are babe. I’ve been looking all over for you.”  
The dark-haired guy stopped moving, he stood a few inches shorter than Dean and it was obvious he was very intimidated by the green-eyed man.  
“Sorry,” Lexi said softly, then the guy nodded his head and made a quick exit.  
Dean took the guy’s place and carefully put one hand on the girl’s waist and cupped her other hand in his.  
“Thank you,” Lexi breathed a sigh of relief, as she rested her other hand on his shoulder.  
After a moment, she smiled and shook her head to herself, Dean noticed and questioned, “What?”  
“Nothing, I would have pegged you for two left feet,” she replied, “just surprised is all.”  
The man pulled her in close, took the lead, and twirled the two of them around the floor three quick times. Lexi couldn’t hold back the enthusiastic smile on her face as he beamed with pride.   
He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “I’m just full of surprises sweetheart.”  
“I bet you are,” she replied, then patted his shoulder with a smile, “I’m going to excuse myself now.”  
Lexi made her way down the hall, she had to get away from her current situation. She had a job she needed to be doing, so she had to find Kyle and see what kind of information she could get out of him.   
“Hey you,” she heard someone from behind her call out, so she turned around and came face to face with a taller dark-haired guy. She recognized the facial features under the mask immediately, Leonard.   
“Hi,” she greeted with a smile, as he approached her, “great party.”  
“Thanks,” he said as he stopped inches from her. She felt him take her hand and watched as he took it to his mouth and kissed the back of it, “You look amazing.”  
Lexi cringed inside, something about this guy was off and she felt it in her gut, but she forced a flirty smile, “Thank you.”  
Kyle was her mission, but maybe she could get better information from Leonard directly.  
“Would you like to go get a drink?” she asked sweetly.   
Leonard offered his arm and Lexi took it, then walked with the young man back towards the main room. Styne secured the two of them a couch to sit on across from the dancefloor, and motioned to one of the waiters who walked by with a tray. He ordered them both a gin and tonic, not her choice of drink, but she didn’t argue with him.  
“So,” she began once they had their drinks in hand, “Do you live in this huge house all by yourself?”  
Leonard scooted over until his legs were up against hers on the couch, he acted like he couldn’t hear her over the music, so he wanted to be closer in order for them to talk.   
“No, my mother and father live here with me,” he replied, then took a sip of his drink, “and one of my Uncles.”  
That narrowed it down to four of the six names Lexi had jotted down back at the motel.   
“Have you always lived here?” she questioned, also taking a sip of her drink. Go slow, she had to remind herself, these types of drinks could kick her ass easily, they were sneaky, after one you’re fine, then a few later you’re throwing up in the ladies’ room wondering where you went wrong.  
“No, we actually just moved here not too long ago,” he replied.  
*****  
“You good?” Sam questioned as he made his way back to the bar where Dean stood.  
“Yea,” he replied then took a sip of his beer, “I’m good.”  
“Where’s Lex?” the younger brother questioned.  
“Over there,” he nodded across the room, “Looks like she found Leonard instead of Kyle.”  
“Well, I saw a family photo in the hallway,” Sam stated, “From the picture I saw it just looks like Leonard and his parents live here.”  
The two turned their attention back towards Styne and watched as Lexi took his phone and input something into the device. He was twirling her hair with one finger, it was obvious what he had on his mind. Once she handed him the phone back, he leaned in close to her and whispered something in her ear, then slowly kissed her cheek. Lexi gave the man a sexy smile and nodded, then stood up and left him sitting there alone.   
She slowly made her way back to the front door and the two men waited a few moments before they made their exit also.   
Sam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out to see a message from Lexi.   
Taking an Uber back to the motel, told him I came alone.  
He nudged Dean and showed him the message, the pace at which they were walking, doubled, as they headed toward the Impala.


	4. Chapter 4

“What is wrong with you Lex?!” Charlie Bradbury’s voice rang out from inside the bathroom, she stood at the sink pulling her long red hair back into a ponytail.  
“Nothing,” Lexi responded as she sat on the foot of the bed of the small motel room.  
“Jake’s a hunter, he knows about the life,” the red-head stood in the bathroom doorway, she crossed her arms and stared at her friend, “No secrets, no having to fill him in on everything that goes bump in the night, plus he’s adorable.”  
“I don’t want to talk about it Charlie,” the girl replied quietly, then stood up and moved toward the dresser.   
“Well tough,” her friend responded, “He asked you to move in with him and your response was to break things off with him. I thought you really liked this guy.”  
Charlie moved to sit on the bed and watched her friend take her earrings out and lay them on the dresser in front of her, “Lexi, talk to me, what is wrong?”  
“I can’t Charlie, I just can’t,” she responded quietly.  
She turned and leaned back against the dresser and continued, “First it’s moving in together, then what? Marriage, a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and children? I know what’s out there Charlie and there’s no way I could bring a child into this. I could see it all over his face tonight, he wanted more from me. They always want more Charlie, and he will try and change his whole way of life to try and have the perfect little life with me.”  
Charlie could see the tears forming in her friend’s eyes, “Lex, you don’t know that. Don’t let the fear of what might happen keep you from being happy right now.”  
“But I am happy,” Lexi wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, “I’m happy with my life, hunting things, saving innocent people. I’ve just let myself stay in one place for too long. I shouldn’t have let Jake get that close. I break people Charlie, they see me as this broken thing they want to put back together, but in the end I only break them.”  
Lexi moved to sit on the bed beside her friend, “I let him in and I shouldn’t have done that to him. I let him think there might be more to us, I got caught up, and now he’s broken. I can’t let that happen anymore Charlie.”  
The red-head gently grabbed her friend by both shoulders, “You’re not broken Lex, you’re just afraid of falling. You don’t think you’re worth it, but you’re my best friend and I know you Lexi, I know you’re worth it, and maybe it won’t be Jake, but you can’t let this fear of what might happen keep you from being loved.”  
“I don’t need you trying to fix me too Charlie,” Lexi said, her words had a slightly irritated tone to them as she stood up from the bed.   
“Well the ship has already sailed on that,” Charlie stood up defiantly, “You’re my best friend, the sister I never knew I wanted, and I will always be here to help you. I already love you, and there’s nothing you can do or say to change that.”  
Charlie said gently, “It will take some time, but you’ll find someone who is just as stubborn as you are and he won’t expect you to change.”  
The red-head hugged her friend tightly, “I promise.”  
“We’ll see about that,” Lexi wrapped her arms firmly around Charlies back. “I think I’m going to steer clear of men for a while.”  
Charlie pulled back and stared at her friend incredulously, “Yea right, Lexi Wilson, you’ll steer clear of men about like I steer clear of blondes.”  
Lexi laughed a little, then smiled at her friend, “I love you, skank.”  
The red-head pulled her friend back into a hug, “Love you too, slut.”

 

The knock on her motel room door brought Lexi back to the present. She walked over to the door and opened it to find Dean standing there. He hadn’t changed out of the tux yet.   
“I’m going to change and then go grab some food,” he stated, “You want me to pick you up something?”  
“Sure,” she responded, as she reached down to slip one of her heels off, “Just get me whatever you’re getting, I need something fattening.”  
He smiled a little and nodded his head before he moved back towards his door.

Lexi had heard the Impala pull away as she stepped out of the shower. She looked in the bathroom mirror and pulled the hair clip out of her hair and tousled it some with her hands.  
The dark-haired girl threw on a pair of jeans, boots, her favorite maroon pocket tee. She gathered her phone and room key, then went to open her door.   
“Hi again,” Leonard said with an evil smile on his face from the doorway.  
Lexi jumped back with surprise and could see two other men standing behind Leonard, she tried to slam the door shut in his face, but he grabbed it with one hand and shoved it back open.   
“NO!” Lexi screamed as she tried to block the punch that was thrown at her face.  
She ducked and dodged, but Leonard was on top her before she could react. She’d been caught off guard and the blow to the side of her head made everything go dark.  
Sam rushed out of his room, pistol in hand, upon hearing the scream from next door and one of the other men rushed him, he recognized the man from the Styne family portrait and aimed for the man’s head.   
He pulled the trigger and watched the man cripple to the ground and blood started to pour from the bullet hole in his forehead. Sam felt the sharp pain from being struck with something hard on the back of his head, but his world went dark before he could see who hit him. 

Dean put the Impala in park in front of their motel room door, grabbed the brown bag full of Chinese take-out, and stepped out of the car. He made his way to his door and knocked, he waited for a beat, then knocked again.  
“Let me in Sammy, I left my key,” he called out to his brother in the room.  
When he didn’t hear a response, he glanced over to Lexi’s door and something on the ground caught his eye. Lexi’s room key was lying on the sidewalk and her phone wasn’t far from it on the ground. That’s when the pool of blood caught his eye and he dropped the brown sack on the ground and raced back to the Impala.


	5. Chapter 5

“Lexi.”  
The voice was a low whisper, but said with a frantic urgency.   
“Lex, wake up.”  
There it was again, the same desperate tone. She recognized the voice and she slowly opened her eyes, the room was dark, which was a relief because her head was pounding so hard she felt as if the least bit of brightness would make it explode. She realized her arms were above her head, and her wrists were bound tightly with rope. Lexi looked up and saw the rope was slipped over a rusty hook hanging from the rafter in the ceiling and the tips of her boots were barely touching the floor.   
“Are you ok?” the familiar voice asked from behind her  
Lexi turned her head quickly, the movement made the rope pinch and slice into her wrists even more.  
“Sam?” she questioned as she winched from the pain.  
“I’m right here,” he said from behind her.  
She looked up again and saw another set of hands, bound just as she was, hanging from another hook. They were back to back so she couldn’t see his face.   
“Are you ok?” she questioned.   
“Yea, I’m good,” he replied quietly, he knew he probably had a concussion, but that was the least of his worries right now.   
The door to the small room that held them flew open and Lexi could only make out a shadowy figure against the light coming from the doorway, but she recognized the voice instantly.  
“Good, you’re awake,” Leonard Styne stated as he flipped a light switch close to him on the wall.   
The fluorescent lights above slowly flickered to life and Lexi could see a table in front of them with an assortment of torture devices. She tried to swallow the large lump in her throat, if Sam’s here and Dean’s not, maybe that meant he was still gone when they’d been taken. She didn’t question Sam of his brother’s whereabouts, afraid to give away that information.   
Leonard made his way further into the room, the look on his face wasn’t anything like Lexi had seen earlier that night, this look was pure evil.   
“What do you want Styne?” she questioned. She knew he had to want something or he would have killed them already.   
“Well, I wanted to kill you,” he replied, then picked up a knife from the table, “You don’t think our family’s been around long enough to know a hunter when we see one? Although, you are by far the prettiest one to come my way yet.”  
He slid the knife down the side of her neck slowly, slicing her skin open just enough for blood to slowly roll to the surface, she winced from the pain.  
“But when I realized who you were traveling with,” he walked around her and she could here Sam draw in a deep breath from the pain, “that made things a little more complicated.”   
He had run the knife across the younger brother’s forearm and blood was trickling down his arm and it was starting to soak into the sleeve of the blue t-shirt he was wearing.   
“So you know who I am?” Sam seethed through gritted teeth.  
“Sam Winchester,” Leonard replied as he circled him, “and you have something that belongs to me.”  
Lexi was confused, what could Sam have that belonged to Styne.  
“And don’t think that brother of yours is going to rush in to save you,” the man began, “I wouldn’t count on that, my uncles are out searching for him as we speak.”  
“You didn’t get the memo on what he did to the last Stynes that crossed his path?” Sam smiled wickedly.   
“They were idiots,” Styne replied as he made his way back to face Lexi, “take the girl for instance, I’m smart enough to know she’s leverage and not kill her right away. They could have used your red headed friend for leverage too, but instead, well you know what happened.”  
Thoughts were racing through Lexi’s mind, she knew the Styne family was responsible for Charlie’s death, she looked at Leonard curiously, “They killed her for nothing?”  
“Not nothing dear,” Leonard could see the confusion on her face, “You look confused, do you not know the circumstances surrounding your friend’s death?”  
“Leave her alone,” Sam snarled from behind Lexi.   
Styne laughed, “Well that struck a nerve.”  
He pulled a chair from beside the table over in front of him and he straddle the seat. He rested his arms across the backrest and fiddle with the knife blade as he looked up at Lexi.   
“Your friend’s here have a very special book that belongs to my family,” Styne began to tell the story, “the red-headed girlfriend of yours was the one who procured it for them, and she was helping them decipher the book. My cousins were hot on her trail from the beginning, why your friends would leave her alone without any protection is beyond me. They knew what my family was capable of.”  
“Don’t listen to him Lexi,” Sam pleaded from behind her and she could tell he was fighting with the ropes around his wrists, trying to get free.   
Lexi’s head was pounding even harder now as realization struck her. It couldn’t be true, could it? She knew Sam and Dean, they wouldn’t have left Charlie alone if they knew she was in danger. Would they?   
“You left her alone?” she asked quietly.  
“It’s not what you think Lex,” Sam responded sympathetically.   
“You son of….” Lexi choked on the words and flailed her legs furiously, “She trusted you Sam!”  
Leonard laughed manically as he stood up from the chair, the door to the room opened again. Lexi could see a woman standing there.   
“We have a situation,” the woman said strictly.  
“Mother, I’m busy right now,” Leonard responded to the woman.  
“Now,” she said sternly and Leonard huffed in agitation.   
“I’ll be back darling,” he said sincerely to Lexi, “Looks like you two have some things to discuss anyway.”  
He smiled maliciously then walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.   
“Lexi,” Sam began sincerely.  
“No!” she snapped over her shoulder, “You don’t get to apologize! This is your fault!”   
“You’re right,” he responded quietly dropping his head, “I asked Charlie for her help, the Mark was taking over Dean and I didn’t know what else to do. If I could go back…”  
“But you can’t!” Lexi fought back the tears that were blurring her vision. She blinked a few times before her focus returned and she realized the chair Styne had pulled up was close enough for her to reach if she could swing her legs just a little bit.   
She clenched her teeth and picked her feet up, the movements were putting more strain on her wrists and the rope was cutting into her skin harder than before. She began to swing her legs back and forth and it gained her enough momentum for her get one leg over the back of the chair and she quickly used her other leg like a vice grip and clutched the back of the chair between her calves and pulled it closer to her. Lexi managed to get both feet on the seat of the chair and it gave her enough height to lift her bound wrists up and off the hook.   
Sam could hear the commotion from behind him, but he waited patiently for Lexi to say something first.   
She made her way to the table and grabbed a knife with her fingers and placed it handle first between her knees. The dark haired girl bent over and began moving the rope back and forth against the blade quickly. It took a few minutes for the rope to break free from her wrists, then she grabbed the knife and rubbed at the bruised and bloody places on her wrists as she walked over and grabbed the chair.   
Lexi drug the chair around to face the younger Winchester, and the look on her face hit Sam as hard as a punch to the gut. She looked like her whole world had been shattered by Leonard’s words. The girl didn’t say anything to Sam as she climbed up in the chair and began sawing into the ropes that bound his wrists. 

Dean remembered Sam saying the family portrait he had saw only had Leonard and his parents in it, but two men had just tried to ambush him as he made his way to the back door of the Styne home. He knew from experience that a shot to the head was one of the best ways to put them down and he had done just that.   
Dean checked his pistol, he had four more bullets and a spare clip in his pocket. He slowly pushed open the back door and made his way inside. 

 

“Let’s go,” Sam said quietly when he noticed Lexi didn’t follow him to the door.  
She looked over at him and could see the pained expression that flashed across his face when her eyes met his. The realization hit Lexi like a ton of bricks, all this time he’d seemed to be carrying all these burdens, and Charlie’s death was one of them. She wasn’t even sure if Dean realized the extent at which it had broken him. She had just let her anger get the best of her and she had snapped on him, which had brought all this guilt back to the surface.   
“I’m sorry,” she said softly as she made her way closer to him, “I’m so sorry.”  
Sam was surprised when she wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face into his chest. He pulled her tighter to him and held her for a moment as she let out a few quiet sobs, then pulled her back from him and leaned down as he cupped her face with both his hands, brushing tears away with his thumbs.   
“We have to go Lex,” he said gently.  
She nodded her head quickly, handed the younger brother the knife she was holding, and watched as Sam turned back toward the door and slowly opened it.  
They made it out of the basement area of the house and were slowly making their way into the kitchen area when Sam heard the girl behind him stumble and he turned to see Leonard. He had one of Lexi’s arms twisted up behind her back and was holding a knife to her throat.   
“Tell me where the book is,” he snarled at the man.   
“Hiding behind a girl?” Sam questioned, then pointed his knife at the man, “Why don’t you come over here and fight me like a man?”  
Styne contemplated it for a moment, then he pulled the knife from her throat and shoved it into her abdomen, then forcefully shoved Lexi out of his way, causing her to trip and she smacked her head on the side of the bar. She felt the blood run down the side of her face from the wound and she clutched the place on the side of her stomach where blood was soaking her t-shirt. The dark haired girl tried to get back up on her feet, but the room was spinning and she fell back to the floor. She could see Styne dodging Sam and then she saw the monster lunge at the younger brother.   
“Sam!” she screamed as a gunshot rang out.   
She watched Styne fall to the ground and could see Sam still standing there with his knife in hand, then she heard Dean’s voice.  
“You alright?” he questioned his little brother.  
Sam nodded as he dropped the knife and rushed over to Lexi, Dean ripped his button up shirt off and tossed it to his brother who shoved it against the wound in her side, as he assessed the gash on her forehead. He took Lexi’s hands and pushed them against Dean’s shirt, “Hold this here, tight as you can Lex.”  
“She needs stitches,” Dean stated as he replaced the clip in his gun with the fresh one.   
“Did you get them all?” the girl questioned weakly as Sam scooped her up off the floor.   
“I took out mom and dad, two others, and Leonard makes five,” Dean added up his body count.   
“I got one back at the motel,” Sam stated, which accounted for the blood Dean had found, “That’s six.”  
“Good,” Lexi said quietly and nodded her head slowly against Sam’s chest.


	6. Chapter 6

Lexi grimaced from the pain as Sam sat her down on the motel room bed, Dean came through the door with a first aid kit in one hand and a pint of whiskey in the other. He laid both on the bed beside the dark-haired girl before he pulled the chair from the table over to sit on in front of her. He pulled his shirt from the wound on her side and raised her t-shirt up to have better access to it.   
Lexi grabbed the bottle of dark liquid and spun the top off, then turned the bottle up. It burned going down, but she didn’t care she knew what was about to happen was going to hurt like hell. She held one finger up at Dean when he reached for the bottle as if to say “give me a minute.” She took a few more swallows then handed the bottle to Dean.   
“Ready?” he questioned her, as he held the bottle over her wound.   
She just nodded her head and looked away. Dean held her shoulder to keep her from moving too much as he poured the whiskey into the wound. The sound that came from Lexi wasn’t a scream, it was more of a low growl and Dean handed her the bottle back and she turned it up once more.   
“Son of a mother…” she trailed off as Dean started sewing up the wound.   
“Need me to get you anything?” Sam stood at the dresser, he felt a little helpless.   
“A larger bottle of this,” she waved the whiskey bottle at Sam, “and something to chase it or mix it with. And my make-up bag out my room.”  
Sam nodded his head and Dean tossed him the keys to the Impala, then went back to sewing. The younger brother went out the front door and pulled his lock pick set out of his pocket and started working on Lexi’s door to her room; He didn’t know where her room key had wound up.  
“Mother Trucker Dean!” Lexi yelled at the hunter.  
“Sorry,” he replied, then chuckled to himself.  
“What’s so funny?” she glared.   
“You,” he said as he finished sewing up the wound, then took the bottle of whiskey, “You’re being a big baby.”  
“Well let me stab you and then I’ll sew you up and we’ll see who the big baby…OW!” she yelled again as Dean pressed some gauze he’d poured the liquor on against the wound.   
He dabbed the wound a few more times for good measure before applying fresh gauze, then indicated to Lexi for her to hold the gauze in place, “Hold this.”  
The green-eyed man stood up and looped an arm under Lexi’s shoulder, “I need you to stand up for a minute while I wrap this up.”  
Lexi stood up and winced from the pain, held the gauze in place while Dean wrapped a bandage around her abdomen several times to hold the gauze in place. Then pulled her tee shirt back down over the bandage.   
The dark haired girl looked down at her maroon shirt that now had a ripped place and the fabric was almost black from all the blood. She started to tug at the bottom of her shirt, fidgeting with the bloody material.   
Dean turned grabbed his duffel bag, dug for a moment, and tossed her a black tee shirt, “Here.”  
She smiled and he could tell she was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol.  
“Thanks buddy,” she said cheerfully.  
She turned her back to Dean and started to pull her shirt over her head, Dean looked away quickly, “Really?”  
“What?” she questioned innocently as she slipped his shirt over her head, every move she made hurt, but she was fighting through the pain after his “baby” comment earlier.  
Dean just shook his head and moved to help her sit back down on the bed, then pointed at the gash on her forehead, “Sit here, I’m going to get a washcloth.”   
Lexi gave a halfhearted salute as he walked off to the bathroom.   
He returned shortly with a warm washcloth and started to wipe away the dried blood that had streamed down her face from the gash on her forehead. He was getting a contact high from the whiskey on her breath as she spoke.   
“I was such a bitch,” she said sadly.  
Dean continued to clean up the blood, while she finished, “I was so angry when Styne told me what happened and I yelled at poor Sammy, he’s like this giant puppy and I was so angry, and I kicked the puppy.”  
The older brother stopped to look at Lexi for a moment, her alcohol induced confession intrigued him.   
“I kicked the puppy for something that happened, and he’s so beat up from it already, he didn’t need to be kicked again. Charlie was stubborn, and she did things her way, one way or another.”  
Dean took the whiskey bottle and took a swig, thinking of his friend brought up too many feelings and he’d rather try and drown those straight out the gate.   
“She would have done anything in her power to save you Dean,” Lexi said quietly, staring into his green eyes, “even if Sam hadn’t asked her too.”  
He turned the bottle up again and wished Sam would hurry back with the other bottle.   
“She loved you Dean,” Lexi said, her voice cracked a little, and she blinked back the tears that threatened to escape, “She loved you so much.”  
She saw the tear fall down the outside of his cheek and she gently reached up to wipe it away with her finger, then gently held his face for a moment. Lexi caught herself and quickly pulled her hand away.  
“Let’s get on with it Dr. Sexy,” she said softly, then pointed at the wound on her forehead.  
Dean smiled at her reference to one of his favorite guilty pleasure shows and finished wiping away the dried blood, then grabbed the whiskey bottle and another piece of gauze and dabbed the alcohol soaked pad against the wound above her eye.   
Lexi winced, but didn’t yell out any profanities this time and Dean went to work applying steri-strips to cut as Sam made his way back into the room.   
“Here you go,” he handed Lexi her make-up bag, then set the bottle of whiskey and some colas down on the dresser.   
“Little late for make-up,” Dean teased as she stood up and walked toward the dresser.  
“Shut it Winchester,” she replied, pulling a pill bottle from her bag. She flashed the bottle at the boys, “Nausea medicine and possibly the best hangover pill ever.”  
“Well, aren’t you just Miss Pharmacist,” Dean said sarcastically.  
“No,” she smiled mischievously as she popped one of the pills in her mouth and swallowed, “but there was this one guy, I think his name was Mike or Mark, something that started with M, he was in pharmacy school. He gave me a few pointers.”  
“Is that all he gave you?” Dean raised a questioning eyebrow as he mixed him and Sam up two solo cups of whiskey and cola.   
“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell Dr. Sexy,” the girl said with a smile as she reached for one of the cups Dean was making.  
“I think you’ve had enough,” Dean stated, passing the cup he made over to his brother, then handing one of the cola’s to Lexi, “Here, you can have this.”  
“Well aren’t you a fuddy duddy,” the girl replied, then stuck her tongue out at him as she opened the can and took a few sips of it.   
***  
They had settled in watching TV and the boys drank a couple more solo cups full, although the girl noticed toward the last one, it was definitely more whiskey than cola. Lexi had gone to the bathroom and finished washing her face off. Upon coming out of the bathroom door, she smiled at Sam who was sound asleep and noticed Dean had dozed off too. She walked over and cut off the TV, then walked between the two beds to turn the nightstand lamp off, she stopped and gently pushed a few stray strands of hair out of Sam’s face. Maybe it was alcohol infused, or maybe it was Charlie somehow still pushing her in the right direction, but she felt the need to watch out for these two grown men.   
She pulled the chain on the lamp and the room went dark. She moved around the bed and crawled onto the bed to lay down beside Dean, she cringed and clutched at the hole in her side. It was on her right side, that meant she’d have to lay on her left side, which meant facing the older brother.   
Screw it, she thought to herself and scooted closer to him, laid her head on his shoulder and draped her arm across his chest. She felt Dean tense up at her touch and knew he’d woken up.   
“We are both adults,” she whispered without looking at him, “and I almost died today.”  
Dean wasn’t sure where Lexi was going with this statement, he knew she had a lot to drink and so had he, but she couldn’t be insinuating what he thought she was.  
“And as immature, and girly as it sounds,” she began, “I just want to be held.”  
Dean smiled genuinely at her statement and he wrapped the arm she was laying on gently around her, he made sure to avoid the bandaged area. He placed his other hand over her hand which rested on his chest and carefully rubbed his thumb across the bruised area on her wrist then closed his eyes.  
“Night Dean,” she said softly.  
“Night Lex.”


	7. Chapter 7

The car ride home from Shreveport was quiet, Lexi slept in the backseat most of the way, and it was after lunchtime when they finally decided to stop and grab some food to go. Dean pulled the Impala to a stop in front of the Mexican restaurant.   
“Any special requests princess?” Dean questioned before he climbed out of the car.   
“Just the most fattening burrito they have on the menu,” she replied as she attempted to sit up straighter, she winced a little from the movement, “and nachos, with cheese dip.”  
The older brother gave two thumbs up and made his way into the restaurant. Lexi noticed a small electronic store two stores down in the little shopping center they were parked in front of.   
“I’ll be back,” she stated and opened the car door to climb out, the pain from moving too fast caught up to her as she stood up, “Son of a…”  
Sam was out of the front seat before she could slam the door shut, “Here, let me help.”  
He offered her his arm for her to steady herself. Lexi gave him a half smile, and slipped her arm over his.   
“This way,” she pointed toward the electronic store and they made their way inside.  
It didn’t take long for Lexi to find what she was looking for and she waved the cassette tape with an auxiliary cord attached at the tall man beside her, “Bingo!”   
“That’s not a good idea,” Sam replied shaking his head, “I’ve tried, there’s no way Dean’s going for it.”  
“I don’t give two craps what Dean thinks,” she laid her purchase on the counter for the sales clerk to ring up, “Don’t get me wrong, I love some classic rock as much as the next person, but there comes a point when too much of a good thing, makes it a bad thing.”  
Sam just shook his head with a laugh, “Good luck with that.”  
By the time Dean made his way out of the restaurant, both Sam and Lexi were back in the car as if they hadn’t moved. He handed his brother the drink carrier through the window then climbed in with the sack of food.   
Sam took the sack of food and started to divide it out among the three of them while Dean turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life and he turned the volume knob on the radio but no music was coming from the speakers. That’s when he saw the cord that trailed out of the cassette deck and into the seat beside him, where it was plugged into a cell phone.   
“What the hell is this?” he questioned looking at Sam.  
Sam held his hands up in defense, “Wasn’t me this time.”  
Dean cut his eyes to the backseat where Lexi was stuffing a cheese topped nacho into her mouth. She smiled innocently as she chewed.   
“Rule number one,” the older brother said as he held up one finger, “Driver picks the music.”  
“I respect rule number one, but I also live by rule number two,” Lexi held up two fingers, “If one of the passengers has been shot, stabbed, or beat to hell and back, they trump rule number one.”   
Dean slowly started to shake his head, “Hell no.”  
“Just one album, then we can go back to Clapton or Seger, I don’t care,” she replied as she gave him the best puppy stare she had, “Please.”  
He sighed and looked over at his brother who was eating his burrito in silence, he didn’t want to be involved in this conversation, so Dean looked back to the dark-haired girl in the backseat, “As long as it’s not any teeny bopper crap.”  
Lexi smiled victoriously, “I promise none of that.”  
Sam looked surprised and finally spoke, “Really!? After all this time you’re letting her break rule number, no offense Lex.”  
“None taken,” she said before she shoved another nacho in her mouth.  
“Shut up Sam,” Dean replied as he put the Impala in reverse.   
“You’re going soft,” Sam retorted.  
“Shut up Sammy,” Dean said, “Or you can ride in the back.”  
“Will one of you just press play on my phone please,” Lexi interrupted from the backseat.   
Sam grabbed the phone, did as she asked, and shook his head in disbelief.  
“Can I have my taco now?” Dean questioned his brother as Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” started to play from the speakers.   
The younger man passed his brother the food as the chorus began to play:  
I’m just a traveller, on this earth  
Sure as my heart’s behind the pocket of my shirt  
I’ll just keep rolling till I’m in the dirt  
‘Cause I’m a traveller, oh, I’m a traveller  
I couldn’t tell you honey, I don’t know  
Where I’m going, but I’ve got to go  
‘Cause every turn reveals some other road  
And I’m a traveller, oh, I’m a traveller  
***  
The next morning Sam carried Lexi’s belongings out to her car, where she stood smiling.   
“Thank you,” she said as Sam closed the trunk on the Challenger.   
“You sure you want to go?” he questioned as he leaned against the back of the car and shoved his hands in his pants pockets, “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want while you heal up.”  
“I don’t like to stay in one place too long,” she replied with a smile, “Do me a favor though?”  
“Sure, anything,” he said with a smile.  
“Take care,” she stated with a sincere look, “Stop being so hard on yourself about everything.”  
Sam looked at the ground, smiled a little, then nodded his head, “Deal, on one condition.”  
The dark-haired girl placed a hand on the hip opposite of her stab wound, “What’s that?”  
“You be careful out there,” he said, “Solo hunting isn’t a good idea, so stay in touch will you?”  
She smiled warmly, “I promise.”   
The younger brother opened his arms and Lexi moved in for a hug. Lexi squeezed tightly before stepping back. Dean approached the two of them and Sam gave Lexi another smile before he walked off to let his brother have a moment alone with her.   
“You left this on your nightstand,” Dean said as he pulled her journal from inside his jacket pocket.   
Lexi took her journal and smiled, “Thanks.”  
“You don’t have to go you know,” he stated as he crossed his arms.   
“Yea, I really do,” Lexi responded with a sly smile.   
“Is your massive crush on me that bad?” the green-eyed man joked, “You have to run away?”  
The dark-haired girl laughed, “Don’t flatter yourself Winchester. You’re the one trying to get me to stay.”   
He shrugged his shoulders innocently, then flashed her a heartfelt look, “Take care out there will you?”  
“Always,” she replied, then Dean enveloped her in hug.  
“Take care of each other,” she stated once she let him go.  
“Always,” he replied, then walked around to open the driver’s side door for her.   
She moved to the front of the car and leaned up on her tiptoes when she got close to him and gently kissed his cheek. Dean was a little shocked by the action, but smiled as she climbed in the car and he carefully closed her door.   
Lexi waved to Sam who gave her a warm smile and waved back, as Dean approached him. The two brothers stood there watching as she pulled away in the Challenger.   
Dean noticed the goofy smile on his brother’s face, “What?”  
“Looks like big brother met his match,” he responded.  
“Shut up,” Dean stalked back off toward the bunker.  
“Dude,” Sam called after him, “you broke rule number one.”  
Dean just flipped him his middle finger as he went down the steps into the bunker.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are welcomed and greatly appreciated :)


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